Video: Chief Rabbis' Blessings for Arutz Sheva Readers

In an Arutz Sheva exclusive, the Chief Rabbi of Israel and the Chief Rabbi of Rehovot express their hopes and blessings for the coming year.

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Annie Lubin & Yoni Kempinski, 11/10/12 05:32

Chief Rabbis in the Succah

Yoni Kempinski

Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Yona Metzger spoke with Arutz Sheva after the Priestly Blessing ('Birkat Cohanim') at the Western Wall in Jerusalem during Succot, an event that attracted tens of thousands. Rabbi Metzger spoke of the prayer's request that Hashem will bestow peace upon us, saying, "It's our dream now to fulfill as soon as possible this blessing, and that hashem will cancel and destroy all our enemies, including the son and grandson of Haman".

Rabbi Metzger, together with Sephardi Chief Rabbi Amar and Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz greeted many of the visitors who came to recieve their Succot blessings in a Succah which was situated in the Western Wall Plaza.

After the 'Birkat Cohanim', in the Old City of Jerusalem, Arutz Sheva met the Chief Rabbi of Rehovot, Rabbi Simcha Hacohen Kook. Rabbi Kook, who as a Cohen participated himslef in the giant blessing service, said that the huge gathering at the holy site strengthened his belief that the area will once again be used as a gathering place for Jews entering the beit hamikdash, and that it should be rebuilt in our time.